Claws questions

[RiskyKisses]

Hey all.

 

So, I've managed to build myself some, what I think are, pretty decent builds, almost exclusively Tankers and Brutes. I am having a great time with the Electric Melee power set and doing things with various defenses. 

 

So, on to my question.

 

Can someone explain the Claws power set to me? I have tried multiple times to make one work... Claws/Electric, Claws/SR, Claws/Energy, on both tankers and Brutes. But it just doesn't feel like it has the same..... OOMPH that Energy Melee has. I've really been running EM/Elec or EM/SR between Brutes and Tanks my last couple of builds, and they seem to rock it well..... but I am getting restless for something new.

 

I've heard Claws/Energy Defense are supposed to be nasty, but I can't make it happen. I've read people taking about Claws hitting like a truck, but again, I can't make that happen. What am I missing? Why/How does Claws make some of you swoon over it?

 

Clueless in Seattle! 

 

~Risky~

[Sovera]

Claws is the opposite of hitting like a truck. Claws is an AoE blender machine (though this is at its peak on Scrappers since they get slightly faster Spin/Shockwave) with fast animations. Spin, in particular, is way overtuned for a level 6 power. Follow-up means we play with a perma 70% damage boost plus the accuracy it comes with. Shockwave allows to bite more than we can chew with the constant KD spam. In the same vein Focus is good soft CC with the KD spam and can be used with good effect to prevent problematic mobs to activate powers.

 

Usually it's all about using Follow-up, Slash, and Focus for single target, and Follow-up, Focus, Spin and Shockwave for AoE (just Follow-up, Spin, Shockwave for Scrappers) with Shockwave having an Overwhelming unique to make the KB into KD.

 

With both Shockwave and Focus able to slot Force Feedback procs any build that pairs with Claws will have its cooldowns appreciatively shorter.

 

[RiskyKisses]

Thanks Sovera! That makes a ton of sense and gets me excited to put one together!

 

[biostem]

I like to open fights with shockwave to knock enemies on their butts.  I'll then either close the distance manually or use something like combat teleport to quickly get into melee range and push the advantage.  Follow up is more about maintaining a deadly edge over your enemies and further advantaging you over your opponents.  Focus is, IMO, great for runners or if you need that little bit of reach to get a particularly annoying enemy.  Frankly, the powers recharge fast enough that you can simply keep the buff up from follow up then rotate between the harder-hitting attacks.  My only pet peeve with the set is the longish animations of that one early attack that has you delivering 2 slashes, (swipe, I think), and the weird flip thingy you do with eviscerate.

Edited May 29 by biostem

[Sanguinesun]

As others have eluded to, its all about your attack chains for situations.  On a brute its towards the top(not top) for damage on brutes but its middling on tankers per se.

 

Ston did a while back a melee set comparison thread(though testing does need to be considered loosely in these regards its a relatively ok set of guidelines) and you can see his results:

 

 

But as you can see it (like the fastest savage) is meant to mechanically function more on faster attack chain use to kill and not an aoe clearing powerhouse or massive single target damage kill style set either.

 

For all intents and purposes, its just that you have to change your mindset on playstyle of it really and not expect it to win min/max, super cereal style play.